This study investigates the relationships among perceived competitive wage, job satisfaction, employee morale, and perceived financial well-being through a serial mediation model. Using a nationally representative dataset of 2,036 U.S. full-time employees under 50 years old, split evenly between state and local government and private sector workers, the study examines whether job satisfaction and employee morale mediate the impact of perceived competitive wage on financial well-being. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Equity Theory, the model hypothesizes that competitive wage perceptions improve financial well-being both directly and indirectly by fostering job satisfaction, which in turn enhances morale. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with control variables for age, gender, income, ethnicity, and marital status confirms significant direct and indirect effects. Results show that perceived competitive wage positively affects financial well-being, with job satisfaction and morale as significant mediators in this relationship. These findings underscore the importance of fair compensation and supportive work environments for enhancing financial well-being, suggesting that organizations can benefit from wage policies and workplace practices that promote satisfaction and morale. This study contributes to the understanding of workplace factors influencing employee financial health, with implications for human resource management and organizational policy.
Access to pediatric healthcare remains limited for many families, with provider shortages, financial constraints, and geographical obstacles restricting access. Virtual healthcare (telehealth) represents a promising tool to address these gaps, yet its effectiveness in improving pediatric health outcomes remains underexplored. This study leverages a unique dataset combining data from the only pediatric-focused telehealth provider in the United States and the University of Michigan's National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA) Health Care Services Data. By assessing telehealth's potential to enhance access and improve health outcomes for underserved children, this study aims to inform policies and practices that align with ACCI's mission to improve economic well-being and consumer health outcomes, identifying effective models for telehealth implementation in pediatric care.
This study examined racial/ethnic, age, and gender differences in wealth persistence among U.S. older adults, focusing on housing wealth (non-liquid assets) and non-housing wealth (liquid assets), alongside household income, and further evaluated whether sense of purpose in life moderates these wealth differences in later life. Data were from the Self-Administered Questionnaire in the 2018 Health and Retirement Study. We estimated ordinary least squares regression models with interaction terms to evaluate moderation effects, adjusting for health, family statuses, and socioeconomic characteristics. Multiple moderation analyses revealed evidence that sense of purpose in life buffered against racial/ethnic and age differences in wealth, but not gender. Specifically, sense of purpose in life and income interacted uniquely for Hispanic older adults. Higher self-reported purpose in life is associated with higher levels of household income, non-housing wealth, and housing wealth. This effect was most pronounced among the youngest age subgroup (ages 51-64) and the oldest age group (ages 80+). We discuss the protective effect of sense of purpose in life in mitigating differences in wealth across various groups of older adults. Through further research and interventions, there is potential to bolster sense of purpose in life and systematically address wealth differences across the life course.
Focusing on the households enrolled in the WIC program, a particular federal food assistance program targeting at at-risk women, infants, and children, this study analyzed Nielsen consumer panel data and examined WIC-Nielsen participating households’ brand choice preference of their grocery shopping. The results suggest WIC-Nielsen participating households typically allocate less of their grocery shopping dollars on private label brand type stores than non WIC-Nielsen participating households.
People with the lowest socio-economic status, often ethnic minorities residing in impoverished neighborhoods, are disproportionately affected. Research studies employing a “bottom-up” approach offer excellent insights into the intersection of poverty and health. This research investigates the effectiveness of the Veggie Rx program by exploring participants’ sustained lifestyle changes and the dissemination of these new practices within their families and social networks 12 months after program completion. Despite the potential benefits of Veggie Rx, not everyone who participates in the program is able to make sustainable lifestyle changes. This is often due to various barriers, such as macroenvironment, socio-cultural environment, and patients’ internal factors, such as mental state and other health issues. By examining the lived experiences of individuals from underserviced communities, we can gain a deeper understanding of behavior change over time and assist health advocates in developing strategies to enhance community well-being.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), one of the few safety net programs universally available to low-income households, mandates work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). SNAP work requirements have emerged as a significant point of contention in recent SNAP reauthorizations. Leveraging variation in work requirement exposure—based on recipient age and county-level waivers from 2014 through 2019—we examine how ABAWD work requirements affect household spending patterns. Analysis of NielsenIQ Consumer Panel data reveals that waiving SNAP work requirements for likely affected recipients increases total household spending by 7 percent and food expenditure by 6 percent, with more pronounced effects among households at or near poverty levels. Additionally, we find modest improvements in dietary quality, notably a 9 percent increase in fruit and vegetable consumption. While previous research finds that SNAP work requirements have minimal impact on labor supply, our findings suggest that SNAP work requirements may adversely affect the food security and nutritional quality of low-income households.
The study explores the relationship between savings and employment stability using the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) of 2022 and found that higher expectations of remaining with the current employer are associated with a reduction in savings. Additionally, net worth and having a college degree are associated with higher savings amounts, but age has the opposite relationship. The study also finds evidence that higher employment stability increases the odds of using other options to address financial needs rather than using their savings, specifically by working more. These results are relevant to the recent government intention in the US to improve the emergency savings of households with the SECURITY Act of 2022.
Households experience constraints around the use of total resources and must consider the cost of time when allocating their resources to maximize utility. When earnings increase, the relative cost of time also increases. This leads households to allocate more time to the workforce and outsource household tasks, such as childcare. The purpose of this research is to understand better the decisions married couples with young children make with their use of time and its impact on savings rates. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (2021) this study provides information that will help couples with children make informed decisions about their allocation of time between household production and workforce labor.
